Extractor



Patented Jan. 22, 1935 UNITED STATES Ex'rlmofroit A William H. Woodward,Detroit, Mich. Application July 9, 1932, Serial No. 621,592

8 Claims.

'I'his invention relates to extraotors, and particularly to devices forextracting moisture from articles or material by placing the same in aco1- lapsible receiver and subjecting the latter to` exterior pressureto eiect its collapse.

In extracting liquid from articles or material by applying 'exterior uidpressure to a collapsible bag or th like having an opening at its top-for inserting the articles or material, it commonly happens thatthe bagis not completely iilled.

- Also, whether or not the bag is filled, the articles Vor material inthe lower portionof the'bag, be-

cause ofthe superposed weight, offer a greaterA resistance tocompression than the upper portion o1' the bag contents. Hence collapseof the upper portion of the bag under external pressure tends to exceedthat of its lower portion, compelling the liquid extracted from the mainbody 'of material under compression to pass through a wall.

region of still greater compression to reach the receptacle outletandthus sacricing eiilciency.

An object of the invention is to, provide an extractor oi the abovementioned general character in which the collapsible receiver has thenature of an open-topped receptacle formed of rubber or the like, and inwhich a simple 'and inexpensive^ provision is made for applying uidpressure exteriorly to said receptacle to extract liquid from itscontents.

Another object is to equip such an extractor with a cover ha'ving anoutlet or outlets lfor the extracted liquid, and to fasten said cover inplace by a means adequate to resist the pressure under which extractionis effected, while affording ready removal of said cover to permit llingand emptying the receptacle.

Still another object is to provide a receptacle collapsible to extractliquid from its contents `and having an outlet for such liquid, theflexibility of the receptacle wall being increased as said wall recedesfrom said outlet, whereby the contents of said receptacle aresafeguarded against a greaterl compression between the outlet Iandopposed wall ofthe receptacle than prevails adjacent to 'said A furtherobject is to provide a collapsible receptacle for extractor purposeshaving its wall gradually reduced in thickness from its mouth to itsbottom, adapting said receptacle to yield, prof gressively from itsbottom-to its mouth, to an exteriorly applied uid pressure, and eiectinga uniform compression of its contents.

A still further object is to progressively decrease the diameter of sucha receptacle from its mouth to its bottom, to facilitate a telescopingof the attains by the construction hereinafter described, 5y

and illustrated in the wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the improved extractor,- with a portion ofits cover broken away.

accompanying drawing,

Fig. 2 is an axial, sectional view of the same, l0`

taken upon the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is -a vertical sectional detail upon the line 3-3 of Fig. 1,showing one of the fasteners holding thecover in place.

In these views, nates an open-topped cylindrical casing formedpreferably of sheet metal having a portion 2 adja cent its mouth of an'enlarged diameter, and connected by an annular shoulder 3 to the mainbody of said casing.

Positioned within said casing and spaced from 1 its side walls andbottom, is a collapsible openx topped receptacle 4, having its Ywallflaring gradually toward its top. and having the thickness of said wallprogressively reduced from top to bottom, the bottoml thickness beingpreferably uniform. Said receptacle is formed preferably of rubber, andis characterized by a ready flexibility of its wall, and .alsopreferably of its bottom, and Qby nonpermeability of its wall landbottom to iluids. Marginally oi its mouth, the receptacle 4 isv formedwith an annular outstanding ange 5, seating upon the shoulder 3` andsuitably held in duid-sealing engagement; with said shoulder. Asillustrated, this is accomplished by a metal ring 6 superposed on theange 5 andconnected through said flange to the shoulder 3 by rivets 7. Acircular sheet metal cover 8 is adapted to .marginally seat upon thering 6, and is formed in its outer portion .with a number ofcircumferentially spaced key-hole slots 9, through which may projectheaded studs 10 rigidly upstanding from the ring 6, whereby a slightrotative actuation of the cover serves to latch it in place. Said coveris further formed with a plurality of perforations 1l, through whichliquid may rise `in use of the extractor.

The portion. 2 of the casing is formed at a suit-A able point in itsperipheral wall with a spout 12 adaptedto discharge'such liquid as risesthrough 60 ceptacle 4 is initially lled to any desired level 55' theAreference character 1 desigl5 I withwashed garments or other articles ormaterial requiring an extraction of liquid. The cover 8 is now appliedand latched in place. The casing outlet 14 being closed, a fluid undersuitable pressure is admitted at 13 to the casing.

Yielding to said fluid, the receptacle 4 progressively collapses fromits bottom upward, the bottom rising within the receptacle wall andthelower portion of the receptacle telescoping in its upper portion. Suchcollapse follows from the described variation in thickness of thereceptacle wall and inverse variation of its resistancto collapse. 'I'hecontents of the receptacle are thus forced upwardly against the .coverplate, and are, in part, at the same time compressed between thetelescoping'inner and outer portions of the receptacle wall. 'I'his hasthe effect of preventing any compression oi the upper oran intermediateportion of the receptacle contents in excess of the compression at thesame time applied to the bottom portion of the contents, and henceavoids undue resistance to the iiow of liquid extracted from the lowerportion of the material in the receptacle. When the material has beenbrought into rm engagement with the cover member, as has been described,the uid pressure may be continued, and ii.' desired, increaseduntil'extraction has been carried to the` desired point, the thickerportion of the receptacle wall now yielding inwardly in addition andadding to the com-V pression applied upwardly to the receptacle. 'Iheextracted liquid arises through the perrorations of the cover 8 anddischarges from the cover through the spout 12.

The described construction is simple and'inexpensive, and its operatingcost is a minimum, since the energizing pressure maybe that of waterderived from city mains.

- Said device is widely applicable in-eiIecting an extraction of liquidfromwashed clothes, and is particularly suitable for household use. Itmay be designed for numerous other applications, as for example,extraction of juices from fruits.

4While it is apparent that the illustrated embodiment of my invention iswell calculated to adequately fuliiill the objects and advantagesprimarilystated, it is to be understood that the invention issusceptible to variation, modification and change within the spirit andscope of the subjoined claims.

What I claim is':.

1.' In an extractor, a collapsible, open-topped,

ilex'ible walled receptacle having a closed bottom -having its lowerportion of a lesser diameter and of a greater flexibility than its.upper portion, wherebythe lower portion tends to collapse withi `in theupper portion under externally applied fluid pressure.

2. An extractor comprising an open-topped casing forming a iiuidpressure chamber, and having a iluid inlet and outlet, a collapsibleopen-topped receptacle suspended within said casing, a cover memberperforated throughout substantially its entire area, detachably secured"to said casing and clamping said receptacle, marginally o! its openingupon the casing, marginally tothe casing opening, the receptacle being/relatively stiiivin its upper portion, whereby said portion resistsdisplacement against said cover member and consequent obstruction ofperforations of said cover member, under pressure of iiuid in saidchamber.l

An extractor comprising an open-topped casingiorming a fluid pressurechamber, a ilexible-walled collapsible, open-topped receptacle securedmarginally of its top opening to the margin of the top opening of thecasing and thereby suspendedwithin the casing, a .cover member for saidreceptacle having a plurality of openings forming liquid outlets fromthe receptacle,

to and suspended within the casing, and form.

ing with the casing a uid pressure chamber, means for delivering a iiuidunder pressure to such'chamber, a cover member for said receptacleaiording'a discharge ot extracted liquid, and means detachably securingthe cover member to the casing, the receptacle wall being of greaterflexibility in its lower portion than in its upper portion, whereby-there is precluded excessive yielding of the upper portion to appliedfluid pressure and consequent `undue resistance to discharge of liquidfrom the lweriportion.

5,-Anextractor as set forth' inciaim .4,- s'aid receptacle having theflexibility of its wall gradually increased from top to bottom of saidwall.

6, An extractor as set forth in claim 4, said receptacle having thethickness of its wall gradually reduced from top to bottom of said wall.

7. An extractor Acomprising a flexible-walled, collapsible receptaclefor material requiring an extracting operation, said receptacle havingat one end an opening for inserting and removing' such material and forthe discharge of' an extracted liquid, the other end ofthe receptaclebe.- ing closed, a casing receiving said receptacle and formingtherewith a fluid pressure chamber, the casing having an opening andth'receptacle being secured marginally of its end opening'to the marginof the casing opening, means for delivex'ing a fluid under pressure tosaidi chamber, and means for retaining thematerial being treated withinthe receptacle during extraction, the wall of the receptaclebeingprogressively increased in ilexibility as it recedes from the receptacleopening, and having a stiffness adjacent to the opening, precludlngundue restrictionof the receptacle in advance of the liquid undergoingexterial requiring an extracting operation, and yfor the discharge of anextracted liquid, and being closed at its opposite end, means forsupporting the receptacle marginally of such opening, means for applyingiluid pressure externally to the receptacle, .and means i'or retainingthe material being treated within the receptacle during extraction, theclosed end of the receptacle havving a greater exibility than thereceptacle wall,

and the cross-sectional area of the receptacle being progressivelydecreased from its opening to its closed end, said end beingthereby'yieldable toward ,said opening under externally applied iluidpressures.

WILLIAM H. WOODWARD.

